Venezuelan man with three guns arrested near White House after claiming voices ordered him to kill Trump
DHS says the 26-year-old, who was in the country illegally, was found sleeping in a stolen truck on Constitution Avenue Thursday night.
By Nikolai Morales ·
Ronny Yordrix Guanipa Chrinos was taken into federal custody on Friday after Secret Service agents arrested him near the White House. The Venezuelan national, 26, had been sleeping in a parked vehicle on Constitution Avenue when officers woke him at 11:42 p.m. Thursday. Initial reports indicated he was acting suspiciously, leading to a confrontation that revealed weapons inside his truck.
Chrinos told officers he heard voices in his head directing him to Washington, D.C., to kill President Donald Trump. A court affidavit notes that agents initially treated the stop as a welfare check. Chrinos used Google Translate to communicate that he was holding weapons he intended to surrender to the government without resistance. He stated he had the specific firearm used in a prior attempt on his life, along with a matching outfit.
The vehicle, a blue Ford F-150, had been reported stolen. Chrinos said the truck belonged to his boss, who had lent it to him. He claimed to have purchased the weapons a month earlier and had been living in the vehicle during that time. Agents recovered an AR-15 style rifle, a Mac 10 handgun, a Glock 43X pistol, and ammunition from the truck.
Federal officials confirmed that Chrinos entered the United States illegally in 2024. He was previously arrested by Border Patrol and later released. He faces a list of federal charges including carrying a rifle outside a home or business, unlawful transportation of a firearm, and possession of unregistered weapons and ammunition. Additional counts include possession of dangerous weapons, carrying a pistol without a license, and theft.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran issued a statement addressing the incident. Curran said the arrest demonstrates the agency's training in de-escalating volatile situations. He noted that while personnel remain confident in their tactics, the agency is alarmed by the rising number of threat cases.
Chrinos remained in custody as of Friday. A federal law enforcement source said prosecutors are reviewing the evidence. He is scheduled to appear in federal court on Monday. It was not clear if he had retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
The Department of Homeland Security did not provide further details regarding the specific voices Chrinos described or the history of the weapons. The arrest was made public by DHS on Friday.
